Diarrhea in Resource-Rich Countries: Common and Uncommon Causes

Diarrhea is a major cause of illness worldwide despite advancements in sanitation, hygiene, education, and awareness. In resource-rich countries, death is a rare complication, but the health care and economic burden remains. Guidelines have been developed by the Federation of International Societies of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Working Group as well as the Infectious Diseases Society of America to help with the diagnosis and management of acute infectious diarrhea (the most common underlying reason for diarrhea). There are also guidelines available for the evaluation and management of more chronic forms of diarrhea. If we follow these diagnostic approaches and recommendations for management, we should be able to achieve a balance of providing appropriate care to our patients without performing excessive and unnecessary diagnostic testing. [.